Even in the early stages of dementia, when your loved one can still mostly remain independent with a little help from family and friends, she may have areas of her daily activities that need more care than a simple stopover from Cousin May to check in and see how she’s managing.
Early Stages of Dementia Care
If your loved one is in the early stages of dementia, she might still be living in her own home or with her spouse as you take time either daily or weekly to check in on her. You might be helping ensure she’s getting all of her bills paid on time, or making sure she has a week’s worth of meals in the fridge for her to easily heat and eat since she struggles with following a recipe. These check-ins not only provide you with the opportunity to help her remain independent while keeping her safe, but they also allow you the ability to check in on her routinely to see if her daily needs have increased. At this stage in your caregiving for your loved one, it’s wise to have those next care steps mapped out so that you can take them when the time occurs.
Four Signs Your Loved One With Dementia Needs 24-Hour Home Care
She’s showing more confusion about what her day should look like. If your loved one is still in her pajamas when you visit at 5 pm after work or if she can’t tell you what she did that day, she might need 24-hour home care to make sure she’s staying safe as she’s navigating each day. Without proper supervision, she could harm herself trying something she shouldn’t or leave the home without the proper items or properly dressed.
She’s losing weight. Your loved one might have stopped eating when you’re not around. This can be because she’s not sure how to prepare meals anymore, she can’t find the utensils she needs to eat, or she has forgotten that she hasn’t eaten. If the food you’ve made for her sits untouched in the fridge all week, she might now need help to reheat and eat those meals.
She’s doing activities she shouldn’t. If your loved one shouldn’t be driving but continues to drive, she is putting herself and others in danger. If you’ve told your parents not to worry about mowing the lawn or cleaning out the rain gutters but they still do, they are putting themselves in harm’s way.
She’s depressed. Dementia can lead to depression in many of the people who get it. The damage to the brain can impede its abilities to regulate emotions and your loved one can naturally feel sad and frustrated about the abilities she is losing each day.
24-Hour Home Care Can Keep Your Loved One Safe
If your loved one wants to remain in her home as the disease progresses, 24-hour home care service is one way to keep her safe and provide the support she needs. With 24-hour home care, someone will be in the home with her at all times, but not sleep in her home. This can be especially helpful if your loved one starts nighttime wandering and needs someone awake to help her stay safe at night. In addition, 24-hour home care providers can help with daily grooming, preparing meals, and helping her with transportation. Letting her live safely in her home.
If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-Hour Home Care in Palm Beach County, FL, please contact the caring staff at Elite Senior Home Care today at (561) 570-6613
